With more than 300m subscribers around the world, Netflix has an ability like few others to inject ideas into global popular culture. But it has yet to find its Mickey Mouse or its “Star Wars” https://t.co/04saDwMP4i ...

At least that's what one expert says, but the bigger question is whether the hit show could become a 'Star Wars'-type franchise worth billions more ...

Mellody Hobson explains how the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, due to open next year in South Los Angeles, is “like Star Wars.”Hobson also discusses her marriage to Lucas and fan mail she sent to Oprah Winfrey.⁠Watch more: https://t.co/fClNvx00J7 https://t.co/cu1CQpbmyA ...

Core Points - Character.AI, a tech startup, has removed several Disney characters from its chatbot platform following a cease-and-desist letter from Disney alleging copyright infringement [1][2] - The letter from Disney's legal representatives stated that Character.AI's chatbots impersonated iconic Disney characters and misled consumers into believing they were interacting with official Disney content [2][3] - Disney expressed concerns over inappropriate conversations that chatbots may have engaged users in, further complicating the situation [3] Company Actions - Character.AI stated that it responds quickly to requests from rights holders to remove content and mentioned that the characters on its platform are user-generated [4] - The spokesperson for Character.AI indicated that the removal of characters is a process and that some Disney characters, like Elsa, still remained on the platform at the time of the report [4] Industry Context - The friction between Hollywood studios and AI companies is increasing, as evidenced by Disney and Comcast's Universal Pictures suing AI company Midjourney for copyright infringement related to characters from popular franchises [5][6] - Warner Bros. Discovery has also joined the legal actions against Midjourney, alleging that its software produces unauthorized versions of well-known characters [6]

Group 1 - Electronic Arts (EA) is nearing a $50 billion sale to a group of investors including Silver Lake and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund [1] - EA is known for its annual sports titles in franchises like Madden NFL, FIFA, and NBA Live, as well as popular video game series such as The Sims, Battlefield, Need for Speed, and Star Wars [1] - The potential deal could be the largest leveraged buyout in history, primarily funded with debt [2] Group 2 - Following the news of EA potentially going private, the company's stocks surged by 15% on Friday afternoon [2]

Core Insights - The UK government has provided Disney with $2.2 billion over the past 15 years through the Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC), making Disney the largest beneficiary of this incentive [1][12][17] - Foreign studios accounted for approximately 87% of the $2.2 billion spent on film production in the UK last year, reflecting a 7.6% increase from 2019 [2] - The number of on-location shooting days in Los Angeles has significantly decreased, with a 35.7% drop from 2019 to 2024, indicating a decline in Hollywood's production capacity [3][4] UK Film Incentives - The UK has increased its reimbursement rate for film production to 25.5%, attracting major Hollywood studios [4][5] - Disney has committed to investing $5 billion in UK and European productions over the next five years, having already spent $4.8 billion on 41 shows and 29 films since 2019 [11] - The UK film industry generated $10.5 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2019 due to fiscal incentives, demonstrating the economic impact of these policies [18][20] Competition and Market Dynamics - The UK has emerged as a key competitor to Hollywood, with major studios like Amazon and Netflix establishing long-term operations in the region [9][10] - Disney's long-term commitment to the UK includes securing nearly all of Pinewood Studios for a decade, ensuring a stable production environment [8][10] - The competition for studio space has led to new facilities being developed in the UK due to high demand [9] Economic Impact - The film industry in the UK created nearly 50,000 jobs in 2019, highlighting its significance to the local economy [20] - Critics argue that Hollywood studios should not require subsidies, as they are highly profitable, raising questions about the fairness of the current incentive system [17][18] - The UK government's fiscal incentives have been shown to generate substantial returns on investment for the economy, with a reported $18.4 billion return between 2017 and 2019 [19]

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market closed on September 16, 2025, with major indexes near all-time highs, driven by strong retail sales data and anticipation of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting [1][3] - The S&P 500 Index decreased by 0.1%, while the Nasdaq Composite finished up less than 0.1%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped between 0.2% and 0.3% [2] Economic Data - U.S. retail sales for August increased by 0.6% month-over-month, exceeding expectations of 0.3%, with July's figures revised to a 0.6% growth [5] - Upcoming economic releases include Housing Starts and Building Permits, which will provide insights into the housing market's health [6] Federal Reserve Meeting - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting is expected to conclude with a widely anticipated 25-basis-point reduction in the federal funds rate, aimed at boosting economic activity [4] Corporate Developments - Alphabet (GOOGL) shares rose, reaching a market capitalization above $3 trillion, following Citigroup's price target increase to $280 from $225 [7] - Tesla (TSLA) shares increased over 3% after Elon Musk's $1 billion stock purchase [7] - Emerson Electric (EMR) shares fell nearly 5% due to disappointing fiscal fourth-quarter orders guidance [8] - Webtoon Entertainment's shares soared 28% after a deal with Disney for a new digital comics platform [9] Upcoming Earnings Reports - General Mills (GIS) is set to report earnings, with other notable companies like FedEx (FDX), Micron Technology (MU), Accenture (ACN), Costco Wholesale (COST), and Nike (NKE) scheduled for later in September [12]

Strategic Partnership - Disney plans to acquire a stake in Webtoon Entertainment [1] - The companies are collaborating to launch a new digital platform [1] Content Strategy - The platform will host Disney's comic brands, including Marvel and Star Wars [1]

Core Concept - Coca-Cola and Disney have launched a collaboration titled "Coca-Cola x Star Wars: Refresh Your Galaxy," aimed at celebrating the power of fandom and community through limited-edition products and an augmented reality experience [1][2][3] Collaboration Details - The campaign features limited-edition Coca-Cola cans and bottles showcasing iconic Star Wars characters, designed to engage fans globally through creative content across various platforms [2][4] - The collaboration emphasizes the shared commitment of Coca-Cola and Disney to create moments of joy and connection, highlighting the cultural significance of Star Wars fandom [3][4] Product Offerings - A total of 21 new character designs will be available, including characters like Lando Calrissian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Vader, with some designs exclusive to Disney parks [5][8] - Fans can unlock an augmented reality experience by scanning the cans or advertisements, allowing them to create and share personalized hologram messages [4][5] Marketing Strategy - The campaign is developed by WPP Open X, led by Ogilvy, and supported by various partners, focusing on engaging Star Wars fans through innovative marketing strategies [6] - The launch will include creative content set in movie theaters, a culturally significant venue for both Coca-Cola and Star Wars [3]

Core Viewpoint - Lego A/S reported record half-year revenue of approximately 34.6 billion Danish kroner (about 5.4 billion USD) for the first half of 2025, indicating strong growth compared to the previous year's revenue of 4.8 billion USD [1][2] Group 1: Financial Performance - The company's consumer sales increased by 13% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, reflecting an expanding market share [1] - Operating profit for the first half of 2025 reached 9 billion Danish kroner, a 10% increase year-on-year, while net profit also grew by 10% to 6.5 billion Danish kroner [1] Group 2: Market Strategy - Lego plans to enhance its investment in the Asian market, recognizing its importance in the company's growth strategy [1][2] - The company opened its first stores in major Indian cities and established a new factory in Vietnam to capitalize on the growing middle class in the region [1][2] - The new factory in Vietnam is Lego's first large-scale manufacturing facility in Southeast Asia, aimed at supporting growth in the Asia-Pacific region [2] Group 3: Supply Chain and Manufacturing - Lego's manufacturing strategy includes a diversified global footprint, with most products sold in the U.S. currently produced in Monterrey, Mexico [2] - A new factory and regional distribution center in Virginia, USA, is planned to be operational by 2027, which will change the current manufacturing dynamics [2][4]